Societe Generale Valley and Herbert Smith Freehills HKU Sandy Bay feature in tomorrow’s Saxo Markets Premiership game of the week at Happy Valley in an early 13.00 kick-off. 

Undefeated Bloomberg HK Scottish take on Borrelli Walsh USRC Tigers at Shek Kip Mei at 16.30, while Natixis HKFC host Kerry Hotel Kowloon at Sports road at 16.45 in other action across the third of ten rounds in this season’s Premiership.

The start of the Premiership has returned parity to the competition with all of the sides back at full strength quickly proving no one is unbeatable.  Both Valley and HKFC lost last weekend to fall from top spot, with Scottish staying strong on the win meter at 2-0 after defending home turf in a titanic early season clash with Club.  

Scottish lead the league with 8 points on the table - a familiar position for one of Hong Kong’s fastest rising clubs, but one that has proved hard to maintain over the course of previous competitions when they have struggled with the front-runners tag. They could be among the biggest beneficiaries of the 10-round format this season.

Kowloon carry momentum into their fray with Football Cub after getting their first win of the campaign in an unlikely spot, beating Valley 20-17 last week at Kings Park.

It doesn’t get any easier this weekend, as they front up for an away encounter with a Club side still smarting from their 20-15 loss to Scottish.

Valley are in second on the table, by virtue of a single bonus point margin over third-ranked HKFC, with Sandy Bay and Kowloon tied fourth and Tigers in sixth.

Valley had the edge in first head to head of the year with Sandy Bay, coming back in the Premiership Challenge Trophy competition in September, when they won handily, 24-17, at home.

That game will have little resemblance to this tie, with Sandy Bay returning to the Valley with its host of Elite Rugby Programme talent including forwards Luke van der Smit and Alex Post and scrumhalf Liam Slatem, while the return of captain Gair Currie to fitness promises to have a season-long impact.

Sandy Bay will enter with the marginally fresher set of legs given their last outing was a mid-week bout a week ago Thursday, while Valley were in action on Saturday.

“We are in a much better place now,” confirmed Sandy Bay coach Brett Wilkinson.

“Everyone is back stronger and fitter now, and we’re really looking forward to this game,” he added.

Wilkinson views Saturday as another opportunity to achieve consistency across an 80-minute performance, but will at least know his defence is up to the task after they held off a determined Tigers assault in their last game. 

That ability to hold its own in the tight contests will be essential against a powerfully balanced Valley side.

“Consistency is a season-long work on for us. We are always looking to improve across all phases of our game, keeping a hold of the ball, and being more consistent in our set piece and our attack.

“Valley are very good up front and have some dangerous backs, so we have to be at our best. But every team has to do that, if you look at the competition, any of the teams can beat anyone else on their day. You can’t look past your next game, and if you do you will pay a price for it,” he said.